Who We Serve
A disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.
Examples of physical or mental impairments may include, but are not limited to:
- Cerebral palsy
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Cancer
- AIDS
- Diabetes
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Epilepsy
- Ulcerative colitis
- Visual impairments/blindness
- Hearing losses/deafness
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Traumatic brain injury
- Depression
- Attention deficit disorder
- Learning disabilities
Characteristics and Temporary Conditions Excluded from Disability Categories:
A number of characteristics and/or temporary conditions are excluded from the category of disability, and therefore persons with these conditions and/or characteristics are ineligible for services through the DSS Office. These may include:
- Eye color, hair color, height, and weight (except in unusual circumstances where obesity is the result of a medical condition).
- Advanced age in and of itself is not a disability (although severe hearing loss and arthritis could be considered disabilities).
- Temporary impairments, such as a broken leg, sprain or infection that is expected to heal quickly.
- Illiteracy or poverty.
- Impairments that do not limit a major life activity.
- Pregnancy.
- Persons who have English as their second language.